This publication presents information on persons in custody and community-based corrections. The statistics are derived from information provided to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) from administrative records held by corrective services agencies in each state and territory, and from the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department for details on federal prisoners. Details are provided for each state and territory on: numbers and imprisonment rates by type of custody (i.e. open or secure custody or periodic detention); prisoner numbers by legal status (sentenced or unsentenced) for all prisoners and for Indigenous prisoners; the number of sentenced receptions into custody; the number of federal prisoners; and the numbers and rates of persons serving community-based corrections orders.

The ABS acknowledges the valuable contribution of the Board of Management and the Advisory Group of the National Corrective Services Statistics Unit as well as the staff of the various agencies that provide the statistics that are presented in this publication.

FURTHER INFORMATION

More information about ABS activities in the field of crime and justice statistics is available from the Crime and Justice theme page on the ABS web site <www.abs.gov.au>. Details of other ABS publications relating to Crime and Justice statistics can be found in paragraphs 38-39 of the Explanatory Notes.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Nick Skondreas on Melbourne (03) 9615 7375.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

PERSONS IN CORRECTIVE SERVICES

Based on first day of the month averages, for the December quarter 2005 there were 79,370 persons under the authority of corrective services (excluding those in periodic detention). This represents an increase of 5% (3,669 persons) since the December quarter 2004. The largest proportional increase was in South Australia (13%), followed by Queensland (6%) and the Northern Territory (5%). The total comprised 24,173 persons in full-time custody and 55,197 persons in community-based corrections.

NUMBER OF PRISONERS

PERSONS IN PRISON CUSTODY, Average daily number per month

The average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia in the December quarter 2005 was 24,184, a decrease of less than 1% on the previous quarter and an increase of 2% on the December quarter 2004.

RATES PER 100,000 ADULTS

AVERAGE DAILY IMPRISONMENT RATE(a), By State and Territory

Nationally, the December quarter 2005 average daily imprisonment rate was 155 prisoners per 100,000 adult population, an increase of less than 1% (154 prisoners) since the December quarter 2004. The Northern Territory had the highest imprisonment rate (533 prisoners per 100,000 adult population), followed by Western Australia (223) and Queensland (177). The Australian Capital Territory (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) and Victoria had the lowest imprisonment rates (76 and 92 prisoners per 100,000 adults respectively).

The largest proportional increases in imprisonment rates since the December quarter 2004 were recorded in the Australian Capital Territory (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) (3%) and New South Wales (1%). The largest proportional decrease (5%) over the same period was recorded in Tasmania.

SEX

Of the average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia in the December quarter 2005, 22,554 (93%) were male and 1,630 (7%) were female. The average daily imprisonment rate for males was 293 prisoners per 100,000 adult male population, while for females it was 21 prisoners per 100,000 adult female population. Males were 14 times more likely to be in prison than females.

TYPE OF FULL-TIME CUSTODY

The average daily number of prisoners in secure prison custody in the December quarter 2005 was 18,177 (75% of prisoners in full-time custody). Open prison custody comprised 6,006 prisoners.

In the December quarter 2005, all prisoners held in full-time custody in the Australian Capital Territory were in secure custody. Of the other states and territories, Victoria and South Australia had the highest proportion of prisoners in secure custody (both 89%). New South Wales (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) had the lowest proportion of prisoners in secure full-time custody (61%).

LEGAL STATUS

The average number of prisoners in full-time custody on the first day of each month in the December quarter 2005 was 24,173, comprising an average of 5,095 (21%) unsentenced and 19,078 sentenced (79%) prisoners. South Australia had the highest proportion of unsentenced prisoners (35%), followed by the Australian Capital Territory (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) (33%). The lowest proportions of unsentenced prisoners were recorded in Western Australia (16%), Victoria and the Northern Territory (both 18%).

UNSENTENCED PERSONS IN PRISON CUSTODY, Proportion per month

SENTENCED PRISONER RECEPTIONS

There were 6,258 sentenced prisoner receptions into full-time custody in Australia in the December quarter 2005. The number of sentenced receptions increased by 342 (6%) since the September quarter 2005, and decreased by 115 (2%) since the December quarter 2004.

INDIGENOUS PRISONERS

In the December quarter 2005 there were 5,662 Indigenous adult prisoners in full-time custody in Australia, comprising 5,192 (92%) males and 470 (8%) females. Almost 80% of the total Indigenous prisoner population was located in three states: New South Wales (1,737 persons); Queensland (1,374); and Western Australia (1,345).

INDIGENOUS PERSONS IMPRISONMENT RATE(a)

The national rate of imprisonment for Indigenous persons in the December quarter 2005 was 2,024 per 100,000 adult Indigenous population, an increase of 3% since the December quarter 2004 and a decrease of less than 1% since the previous quarter.

The highest rate of imprisonment for Indigenous prisoners was recorded in Western Australia (3,347 Indigenous prisoners per 100,000 adult Indigenous population), followed by New South Wales (2,183).

INDIGENOUS IMPRISONMENT RATE(a), By State and Territory

The largest proportional increase (13%) in the rate of imprisonment of Indigenous persons since the December quarter 2004 was recorded in Victoria. The next highest increase was in South Australia (11%), followed by Tasmania (10%).

The age standardised national rate of imprisonment of Indigenous people from the National Prisoner Census at June 2005 was 12 times higher (1,561) than the rate for non-Indigenous persons (129). Imprisonment rates in the National Prisoner Census take into account the different age profiles of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. Further information on the comparison of imprisonment rates between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations can be found in Prisoners in Australia 2005 (cat. no. 4517.0).

PERIODIC DETENTION

Periodic detention is a form of custody only used in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. During the December quarter 2005 there was an average daily number of 841 persons in New South Wales and 106 persons in the Australian Capital Territory held in periodic detention. The rate of imprisonment for periodic detention increased in New South Wales by 8% and in the Australian Capital Territory by 7% between the December quarters of 2004 and 2005.

FEDERAL PRISONERS

In the December quarter 2005, there were 656 federal prisoners in Australia, a decrease of 19 (3%) since the December quarter 2004. More than half (57%) of these federal prisoners were sentenced in New South Wales.

PERSONS IN COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS

Community-based corrections orders are non-custodial orders under the authority of corrective services and include restricted movement, fine option, community service, parole, bail and sentenced probation. In the December quarter 2005, there were 55,197 persons in community-based corrections in Australia, an increase of less than 1% (291 persons) since the September quarter 2005 and an increase of 6% (3,275 persons) since the December quarter 2004.

Sex

Of the average number of persons in community-based corrections in Australia on the first day of each month in the December quarter 2005, 45,109 (82%) were male and 9,948 (18%) were female.

Rates per 100,000 adults

Nationally, the rate of persons in community-based corrections was 353 persons per 100,000 adult population for the December quarter 2005. This was an increase of 5% since the December quarter 2004 (337 persons per 100,000 adults). The largest increases since the December quarter 2004 were recorded in South Australia (15%), followed by Queensland (7%) and Tasmania (5%).

COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS RATE(a)

COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS RATE(a), By State and Territory

In the December quarter 2005, the rate of community-based corrections for males was 585 per 100,000 adult male population compared to 125 females per 100,000 adult female population. Males were almost five times more likely to be in community-based corrections than females.

Type of orders

In the December quarter 2005, there were 9,365 persons serving parole orders following a period of imprisonment. More than three quarters (76%) of the total persons serving parole orders were located in three states: New South Wales (4,161 persons); Victoria (1,608); and Western Australia (1,348).

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